William Bernhardt: Strip Search

Dark and deadly*** November 25, 2007

This latest novel by William Bernhardt is a welcome diversion from his limping Ben Kincaid series. This features psychologist Susan Pulaski who is badly in need of psychological assistance herself. Formerly employed by the Las Vegas police dept she is now serving as a consultant but her status is tenuous at best. The novel is littered with corpses who are being methodically slaughtered by a serial killer. At first there are no obvious similarities among the victims but as the plot unfolds it becomes apparent that they have a common thread: they have abandoned children earlier in their careers. While the murders are carried out by a thug, only in the last stages does Susan realize that his strings are being pulled by a master puppeteer whose identity is quite surprising.

A fast read.

Capitol threat: a novel by William Bernhardt

Disappointing *** May 9, 2007

Oklahoma lawyer Ben Kincaid is now a U.S. Senator, appointed to fill out the term of his predecessor. The plot revolves around the nomination of Judge Thaddeus Roush, by a Republican president, to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court. At the ceremony announcing the nomination, Judge Roush throws a monkeywrench into the works by coming out of the closet, informing everyone that he is gay. Matters turn farcical when the body of a woman is discovered behind his garden gate. The Republican president rapidly distances himself from his nominee. It falls to the Democratic minority to push the nomination. Ben Kincaid is called upon by the Senate Minority leader to lead the charge. Ben's investigator Loving plays a key role, digging deep and coming up with the vital info at the last minute. All the ingredients of a good novel are there but Bernhardt fails to paint a convincing picture of Washington politics.